Boat drive-supported wake generating device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus which selectively increases the size of the wake of a boat with an outboard or sterndrive motor system. The apparatus has one or more plates attached to the boat hull which, when rotated below the bottom of the hull, extend into the flow of water when underway, increasing the size of the wake due to the dynamic displacement of water. A support bar mechanism transmits propulsive force from the motor drive unit to the plates to overcome resistive hydraulic loads. Linkages may be used to locate the support bar mechanism. In one embodiment, the support bar mechanism is comprised of a plurality of members and pivots such that the support bar mechanism can be stowed substantially out of the flow of water until larger wakes are desired. In other embodiments, mechanical cable, fluidic, or electrical control systems are used to control the configuration of the support bar mechanism.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

The invention described herein was granted provisional patent 61/211,535on Apr. 1, 2009.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION & DIFFERENCES TO THE PRIOR ART

The use of a boat as a tow vehicle for various water sport activitiesincludes the consideration of a wide range of desired wakecharacteristics for those sports. At one extreme, a minimal wake isdesired for optimal barefoot and slalom skiing, where the wake isgenerally considered a nuisance. At the other extreme, as large a wakeas possible is desired for wakeboarding and wakeskating, where the wakeis considered a launch ramp for aerial tricks, and for wakesurfing wherethe wake face provides the means of conveyance for the rider. Generally,lighter boats with minimal “V” (deadrise) hulls have been used whenminimal wakes are desired, while heavier boats with deeper “V” hulls areused to create larger wakes. The use of water ballast in bladders orbuilt-in tanks inside the boat is a common practice to increase the sizeof the wake of any given boat, thus giving it greater utility as a towvehicle, but consumes significant interior or storage space, and addslarge stresses within the boat structure due to the weight of the water.The present invention is intended to maximize a boat's utility as a towvehicle by enabling a boat with small wake-creation characteristics tobe easily and quickly reconfigured to create larger wakes with little tono loss of interior volume or storage space, and with minimal addedweight. A key feature of the invention is the presence of a support barbetween the drive unit of an outboard or sterndrive motor which appliespropulsive force directly to wake-augmentation plates and in so doing,minimizes stresses that would otherwise be transmitted through theoutboard or sterndrive motor mountings and the boat hull to push thewake-augmentation plates through the water.

Devices for the management of a motorboat's attitude when travelingthrough the water and/or for the creation of a specific or larger wakefor certain water sport activities, such as wakeboarding, have beendisclosed on certain other previous U.S. Patents. U.S. Pat. No.6,923,136, addresses the automatic trimming of a boat's trim tabs viainteraction with the boat's sterndrive unit or outboard motor, but itand U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,138,601 and 6,167,830 and others which furtherdescribe various forms of trim tab devices, are for the stated purposeof changing a boats attitude in the water, primarily duringacceleration, by causing lift to occur to the back of the boat, whichmay or may not have any significant affect on the size of the wake. U.S.Pat. No. 7,434,531 specifically addresses adjusting a boat's wake forwater sports, but the hydraulic units used to force down thewake-adjustment plates into the water flow are mounted directly to theboats hull, creating high strains in the hull to manage wakeplate andpropulsive loads, which limits the size of the plates.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,012,408 and 7,140,318 and 5,315,951 andothers all describe various devices that mount directly to the boat hullto adjust the attitude or displacement of the rear of the boat to adjustthe wake, but have no connection to the components driving the boat soas to minimize the forces being transmitted through the boat hull ortransom as the boat is propelled through the water. U.S. Pat. No.7,063,031 describes a wake control device, and includes a provision formounting a hydrofoil to an outboard motor aft of the drive unit, withall hydraulic forces from the hydrofoil transmitted through the outboardmotor and its mountings to the hull.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device described herein is intended to provide for the sustainedcreation of large wakes, utilizing the forward and downward thrust ofthe drive unit of an outboard or sterndrive motor to provide a forwardand downward force upon wake-augmentation plates. Larger wakes arecreated through the deflection of water downward aft of the boat, whileat the same time the downward force conveyed upon the plates preventsthe back of the boat from rising. The force between the drive unit andthe plates is conveyed by means of a one- or multi-piece support bar. Byusing such a support bar, forces can be more directly transferredbetween the drive unit and wake-augmentation plates withoutsignificantly stressing the outboard or sterndrive mountings or trimmechanisms, or the boat hull.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention utilizing a one-piece support bar(5) between the drive unit of the outboard motor (2) andwake-augmentation plates (3&4). Outboard motor version is shown, but issimilar for sterndrive in the manner in which the device is engaged atthe drive unit.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the invention utilizing a one-piece support bar(5). The outboard motor, boat hull, and jack plate, are not shown in thedrawing so as to not obscure the view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the specific difference in the invention when amulti-piece articulating support bar assembly (6) is used, shown in itsdrive unit contact position and wake-augmentation plates (3&4) deployed.

FIG. 4 is an alternate side view of the mechanism of FIG. 3 with themulti-piece support bar assembly (6) shown in the stowed position.

FIG. 5 is plan view of the invention when a multi-piece articulatingsupport bar assembly (6) is used.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the support bar cable control lever assembly(7), shown in the deployed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A boat hull (1) with outboard motor (2) or sterndrive unit haswake-augmentation plates (3&4) with spring-loaded pivots or hinges (14)mounted to the transom. Its motor or drive unit is raised, and aone-piece support bar (5) is installed, or a multi-piece articulatingsupport bar assembly (6) is deployed by cables (7) as controlled fromthe driver's position or other position by a lever (8), or by a fluidiccylinder or electric actuator with appropriate control. Control linkages(11&12), with or without control linkage brackets (15&16), properly theposition the support bar relative to the motor drive unit, with ourwithout yoke (13). Once so configured, and the outboard motor orsterndrive unit is lowered by its integral trim unit (9), the supportbar (5 or 6) transmits force from the outboard (2) or sterndrive unit tothe wake-augmentation plates (3&4), rotating the plates below the bottomof the hull. As the boat's speed increases, additional propulsive forceis transmitted through the support bar to the wake-augmentation plates,and the size of the boat's wake increases via the deflection of the flowof water at the aft end of the boat. A jack plate (10) may optionally beused to further lower an outboard's drive unit into the water flow.Conversely, when the boat's outboard motor or sterndrive unit (2) israised and the one-piece support bar (5) is removed or the multi-piecesupport bar (6) is returned to its stowed position via the lever (8) andcables (7) or other actuation means, the wake-augmentation plates (3&4)return to near horizontal. The outboard motor (2) or sterndrive unit canthen be lowered back to its normal operating position and the boatreturn to its normal, small-wake operation.

1. A wake-augmentation apparatus of a watercraft with a propulsionsystem containing at least one outboard or sterndrive (inboard/outboard)motor and having a hull defining a longitudinal axis with a bow at theforward end and an aft end ending in a transom, to selectively increasethe size of the wake of the watercraft, the apparatus including: one ormore plates mountable and pivotally hinging along an edge near the baseof the transom of the hull which if mounted would rotate between (a) aposition aft and lower than the bottom of the hull and (b) a positionaft and generally above the water when the watercraft is operating abovelow speed; and a support bar mechanism including a rigid tubular ornon-tubular member affixed and pivoting at the forward end to saidplate(s) and extending rearward and/or inboard from both ends to a yokeor contact point immediately forward of the drive unit of the outboardor sterndrive motor, such that the drive unit will contact said supportbar mechanism when propelling the watercraft through the water,including any linkages attachable to the boat hull or an engine mountingcomponent for the purposes of aligning said support bar mechanism;wherein when said apparatus is attached to the watercraft and the driveunit is lowered into operating position such that the drive unitcontacts said support bar mechanism and the watercraft is propelledthrough the water, the propulsive force of the drive unit imparts aforce to said support bar mechanism which conveys that force into saidplate(s) mounted to the transom, causing said plate(s) to rotate belowthe hull of the watercraft so that when continued to be propelledthrough the water displace water in a downward direction, therebyenlarging the wake of the watercraft.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the support bar mechanism comprises a plurality of tubular ornon-tubular member with hinges or pivots between said members to allowsaid mechanism while attached to the plate(s) on the transom of thewatercraft to be configured into a storage configuration and alternatelyinto a configuration which positions the yoke or contact point on thesaid support bar immediately forward of the drive unit of an outboard orsterndrive motor such that the drive unit will contact said support barmechanism when propelling the watercraft through the water.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 with control mechanism comprised of a control leverand cable that when connected at one end to the support bar mechanismallows the remote reconfiguration of said support bar mechanism betweenstorage and drive unit contact configurations when said control lever isrotated or displaced by the watercraft operator.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein a fluidic cylinder attached to the support bar mechanismprovides actuation for the reconfiguration of said support bar mechanismbetween storage and drive unit contact configurations when a fluid pumpin fluidic communication with said fluidic cylinder provides fluid underpressure in response to a switchable control input from the watercraftoperator.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a electrical solenoid orelectric motor with gearbox or screw-drive is attached to the supportbar mechanism and provides actuation for the reconfiguration of saidsupport bar mechanism between storage and drive unit contactconfigurations when said electrical solenoid or electric motor iselectrically energized in response to a switchable control input fromthe watercraft operator.